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San Leonardo Murialdo
'San Leonardo Murialdo '''is a late 20th century parish and convent church at Via Salvatore Pincherle 144 in the Ostiense quarter, just to the south-west of San Paolo fuori le Mura. The dedication is to St Leonardo Murialdo. History The parish originated as a deanery of the mother parish of San Paolo fuori le Mura which was set up in 1958. It became an independent parish in 1964, and was put into the care of the congregation of Josephites of Murialdo, whose founder the patron saint Leonardo Murialdo was. The church was designed by Giuseppe Forti, and completed in 1978. However, it was only consecrated in 1988. In 2002 the parish took over much of the territory of the suppressed parish of ''San Paolo. Exterior The church is part of a larger building which incorporates parish and social facilities, including a youth centre. It has a complex layout and form, and is not easy to describe. The structure is in reinforced concrete and red brick, featuring horizontal and vertical lines delineating cuboidal forms standing vertically, with much blank walling and with flat roofs at different levels. The geometric form of the main edifice is complicated, and is best elucidated by looking at Google Earth. The plan is derived from that of a right-angled triangle, with the right angle to the right of the entrance and the hypotenuse running from near left to far right. The entrance and lobby occupies the left hand acute angle, and has a lower roof than the main edifice. The fascia of the porch canopy is grey concrete instead of brick, and bears a dedicatory inscription. There is a tall tower campanile attached to a cuboidal block to the left of the entrance, rather like a factory chimney at first glance except that it is triangular in plan. It is entirely in blank red brick. Outside the entrance is a sculpture of St Leonardo by Michele Greco of 1987. Interior The interior layout is also complicated. The plan is trapezoidal, widening towards the far end and with the sanctuary in the far right hand corner. That is, the major axis is not on the axis of symmetry. The walls are in pink brick, enlivened by horizontal stripes in red brick. The roof is in massive transverse grey granite beams, supported by cylindrical columns. The floor is in red terracotta tiles. The sanctuary is a white stone platform, circular with three steps. It is backed by a coved (incurved) brick screen wall against which is the seating of the liturgical ministers, and above this the brickwork has a decorative diaper pattern. On the left hand side is a free-standing screen wall which is bowed (outcurved) in the direction of the sanctuary, and sheltering in the curve of this is the tabernacle. To the left of the sanctuary is a large stained glass window which dominates the interior, and features scenes from the career of St Leonardo. Liturgy Reliable information on liturgical events here is not readily available in May 2018, although the parish seems to have a Facebook page. The Diocese only has information on Sunday Masses: 17:30 Saturday (18:30 in summer), 7:30, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 18:30. As in 2016, the following information was available: Weekdays 8:30, 18:00 (18:30 in summer); Sundays and Solemnities 8:15, 9:30, 10:30, 12:00 and 18:00 (in summer, 9:00, 11:00 and 18:30). The Divine Office is celebrated with Vespers on Sundays and Solemnities at 18:00 (8:30 in summer), and Lauds on weekdays at 8:15. There is Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the weekday evening Mass until 19:30. "Summer" here is from mid-June to mid-September. External links Official diocesan web-page Italian Wikipedia page Parish web-page (Out of date and insecure.) Info.roma web-page Beweb web-page Category:Catholic churches Category:Outside the walls - South-West Category:Dedications to St Leonard Murialdo Category:Parish churches Category:20th century Category:Convent churches and chapels